The present invention relates generally to isotope tagging and more particularly to isotope tagging for workpiece authentication.
Artwork forgeries have always posed a problem. Recently, some have theorized that synthetic DNA tagging of paintings or sculptures could possibly provide authentication for artists. This DNA concept, however, may still be prone to copying or altering by sophisticated forgers with scientific knowledge.
Others have attempted to use chemical or isotope markers. Such conventional constructions are disclosed in: U.S. Pat. No. 8,931,696 entitled “Counterfeit Detection System and Method” which issued to Hood on Jan. 13, 2015; U.S. Pat. No. 8,864,038 entitled “Systems and Methods for Fraud Prevention, Supply Chain Tracking, Secure Material Tracing and Information Encoding using Isotopes and Other Markers” which issued to Marka et al. on Oct. 21, 2014; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,360 entitled “Devices and Method to Confirm the Authenticity of Art Objects” which issued to Fernandez-Rubio on Jan. 5, 1993. These prior methods, however, use relatively inexpensive and common isotopes which can be easily obtained by a sophisticated forger with access to common medical laboratories. For example, the Hood patent mixes a liquid form of the marker with paint applied to a canvas or a dye applied to a textile, or weaves a solid form of the marker into clothing. The Marka patent pelletizes the marker for placement into bulk manufactured items. The Fernandez-Rubio patent pipetts the marker into a sealed metal enclosed cavity which is adhered to an art object. Accordingly, these conventional methods are not well suited to prevent sophisticated forgeries of unique, one-of-a-kind items.
In accordance with the present invention, a method of assisting with authenticating a workpiece is provided. In another aspect, ions are generated, accelerated in an accelerator (for example, a cyclotron), an isotope is created, and then the isotope is implanted within a workpiece to assist with authenticating of the workpiece. A further aspect includes a workpiece substrate, a visual marker and an isotope internally located within the substrate adjacent the visual marker. Another aspect employs one or more isotopes having a half-life of at least three months, a precise and measurable alpha and/or gamma decay emission, and a unique isotope signature. In still another aspect, a system includes a heavy ion source, a cyclotron accelerator, an isotope separator, an optional cryogenic gas stopper, an optional fragmented isotope reaccelerator, and a rare isotope tagging station for tagging a high value workpiece with the rare isotope. Yet a further aspect uses a unique isotope, a pattern of one or more isotopes, and/or a combination of isotopes, to tag a high value workpiece for later authentication.
The present method, workpiece and system are advantageous over conventional approaches. For example, rare and expensive to produce isotopes are employed which can only be created and implanted in the workpiece in a few expensive facilities, which is well beyond the financial means and technical knowledge of forgers. Furthermore, the present method, workpiece and system allow for extremely accurate and unique authentication and identification tagging or marking. Moreover, the present isotope tagging has a long and predictable lifetime, a precise and measurable decay signature, a unique decay signature, is nonhazardous to people, and will not harm the workpiece. The present method, workpiece and system have the rare isotope implanted within the workpiece after the workpiece is created. Advantageously, the present system implants small quantities of rare isotopes into a workpiece and these isotopes can only be produced by extremely expensive equipment, which are not accessible to forgers. Additionally, the authentication via detection of the decay signatures of the implanted rare ions can be performed completely non-destructively via portable gamma ray detectors with sufficient energy resolution. Additional advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and appended drawings.